How To Hem Jeans Professionally

Besides quality, another most fundamental factor considering comfort wear is its fit. So, even if you shop for a premium quality product, you may see the jeans’ length is too long. No need to worry more because this tutorial shall let you comprehend the best method to hem your jeans professionally!

Your trip to your tailor can be an expensive move. And why would you invest in the alteration when you can become a stitching professional with some tips and tweaks? Just some knowledge of hemming and you’re ready to go!

So, whether hand-sewing or by machine, you could be lucky to take your sewing skills to the next level. You’ve probably experienced the discomfort of wearing too long or too short jeans. If you have, read on to learn the methods.

How To Hem Jeans Professionally?

It’s an open secret amongst jeans wearers that wearing too long or short jeans can be uncomfortable. More often, it might be unflattering too! So, when there are these easy ways to hem jeans and boost comfort, why worry any longer?

Even if you’ve forgotten your sewing lessons, you can learn these DIY skills. Read on to learn the four methods to hem jeans correctly.

One Quick Note:

So, whichever method you choose, remember that the first step to hemming the pants professionally is its measurement. So, here are the fundamental steps for all the below-mentioned methods:

• Find the inseam and the distance from the crotch top to its bottom
• Upon determining the inseam, all you need to do is subtract it from your inseam
• This move will establish the inches number, the number of inches to fold or cut

But before that, ensure that you gather the essential tools:

• Your pair of jeans
• A Needle or Sewing machine
• Sewing pins
• Your matching or contrasting threads (usually contrasting threads for denim jeans)
• A lot of pins
• A pair of scissors to cut the excess piece of fabric
• An Ironing board and iron

Now that you have understood the basics, let’s proceed with the methods.

How To Hem Jeans Without a Sewing Machine (By Hand)?

Note that the measurement should be taken first.

Step 1: Determining How Much You Want to Cut or Fold

You need to determine the inches number by which you want to fold or cut the jeans. As soon as you mark it with pins, use a pair of sewing scissors to trim it.

Step 2: Fold The Marked Lines

To do so, you need to turn the excess piece of fabric on one leg’s inside. Also, make sure that you perform the step for both legs. This way, folding on your measured lines will become simple.

Also, ensure that you don’t forget to pin the fold inside the place. In this manner, you will be able to perform the task neatly.

Step 3: Threading the Needle

In the third step, you’d require to consider the needlework. Here’s where you need to thread your chosen needle. You can either choose a matching color or opt for a contrasting color of thread. Traditionally speaking, a dark golden orange is an ideal color to hem your jeans.

To thread the needle, all you need to do is to make a neat knot at the thread’s end. This will pull it from getting pulled right through your fabric.

Step 4: Proceed with The Stitching Work

Now, start stitching around 0.4cm from your folded fabric’s top edge. You can choose a backstitch method to enhance durability. Additionally, push your needle into the fabric’s layer at that point where you initiated initially.

As per recommendations, start right at the seam to ensure that the stitching blends well. Now, bring the needle back through the fabric’s top layers in front of the earlier stitch via backstitch. As a matter of fact, it’s a similar hemming method compared to the machine stitch.

Now, you need to push your needle into the jeans from where the needle came in & out. This stitch will create your first stitch. After this, bring that needle through the jeans in the same distance as how you created your first stitch. You can make these stitches tight or can be spaced as per your preference.

Then, you need to repeat the process via one step forward and one step backwards. This way, until you make it the whole way around the leg, keep stitching. The only thing that you need to remember is to remove pins accordingly.

One Quick Note:

Always double stitch where your stitching begins or ends. It will secure the stitching line. Repeat it on another leg.

Step 5: Ironing Your Pants

As soon as you are done with the stitching part, make sure that you press your hems. So, use iron for a professional finish.

How To Hem Jeans With a Sewing Machine?

After you mark the measurements and pin the fabric, follow these below-mentioned steps to hem jeans with a sewing machine:

Step 1: Altering It in Your Sewing Machine

Now that it’s time to sew, perform the necessities. Firstly, thread the sewing machine with a contrasting thread (or a matching one). Then, stitch a straight line directly below the original hem.

Step 2: Removing Or Tuck In The Excess Fabric & Stitch

As soon as you sew the new hemline, you get two options! Either you can leave it & tuck it into the leg, or you can remove the excess fabric! If you choose the second one, you need a pair of scissors for that!

So, cut the excess piece of cloth, and use the fabric adhesive. Alternatively, you use a zigzag stitch along that cut edge in order to prevent fraying.

Step 3: The Ending Point

Now, you need to unfold your jeans’ bottoms in order to press the hem. Please note, you shouldn’t avoid this step as it’s a crucial one. Ensure that the jeans get ironed to perfection!

How To Hem Jeans With Original Hem?

To perform the steps, you need to use the hand-sewing method. Read on to know further:

Step 1: Don’t Cut the Jeans

Firstly, you need to take the existing seam & fold it in order to match the new hemline. After this, pin it into the right place.

Step 2: Follow The Instructions Mentioned in Method 1

Next, you need to follow the instructions as mentioned for hand-sewing the jeans, i.e. the first method! Don’t forget to iron the outfit to achieve a proper and neat look!

For beginners, this method gives them a win-win situation. As you don’t have the risk of cutting the jeans, it becomes a perk for newbies. Also, it’s great for hemming children’s jeans who might require having the hem lengthened shortly!

All you need to do is simply tuck that excess fabric right the hem. Tuck it under the jeans and ensure that you trim those loose threads.

How to Hem Your Skinny Jeans?

Now, skinny jeans are a must-have in every woman’s wardrobe. So, whenever you buy one, ensure that the quality is nice and premium.

The rest (that is, fitting) can be taken care by using this method. So, when it comes to hemming, skinny jeans are a bit different from traditional ones.

Step 1: Measurements Are Crucial, So Take Them Carefully

For this method, the inseam must be a bit shorter as you would always prefer them sitting right at your ankle. Thus, remember to take the measurements appropriately!

Step 2: Use a Stretching Thread

Also, you would require using a stretching thread in case the fabric has more movement than regular ones.

Quick Notes:

You can use the other instructions (as mentioned in Method 1) if you want to hem your skinny jeans by hand.

But remember, you should always be careful while hemming your skinny jeans with a sewing machine. An additional layer might get caught in the machine!

Thus, it’s always recommendable to use your hand backstitch method to hem these jeans. Also, some people rather avoid hemming their skinny jeans. But if you consider yourself a perfectionist, hemming your skinny denim is a prerequisite.

How Do You Sew Through The Thick Seam On Denims?

Many times, people might face real challenges when stitching through the thick seam on their denim. So, if you’re using a sewing machine for this, you need to be really careful about the choice of needles.

After all, thinking that a regular needle is quite appropriate for sewing thick denim is just a false narrative. And if you’re serious about the task, ensure that you use heavy-duty needles. With these needles, you can stay assured!

This way, you can complete your task without any worries about needles breaking when inserted through the denim.

Does The Thread Go Atop or In The Bobbin?

You must use the jeans weight thread in both top as well as bobbin threads. When you choose different colors, the one showing on your finished hem is your bobbin thread.

But this is true only when you stitch with the denim’s wrong side up. The inside should face up, and your hem gets rolled to this side.